Self-closing receptacle cover



June 25, 1968 w. A. WALL SELF-CLOSING RECEPTACLE COVER Filed Aug. 11, 1967 INVENTOR.

WILHELM A. WALL United States Patent Office 3,389,826 Patented June 25, 1968 3,389,826 SELF-CLOSING RECEPTACLE COVER Wilhelm A. Wall, 6810 Chestnut, Kansas City, Mo. 64132 Filed Aug. 11, 1967, Ser. No. 660,568 4 Claims. (Cl. 220-35) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to receptacles with self-closing covers. The cover is operated by a treadle mechanism incorporating a spring forming the connection between the cover and a treadle bar.

Background of the invention The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

In the construction of public toilet facilities it is important to sanitation and health to have a self-closing cover to prevent flies and other insects from entering and leaving the privy vault. In the art of privy making the use of treadles to operate the cover is known. Prior art devices of this nature were easily damaged by accidents, misuse or vandalism. Damage could also result from the shock created in the operation of the treadle. Prior art devices depend upon gravity to close the cover. The spring cover operation of this invention has not been taught by the prior art.

Summary of the invention The present invention consists of a receptacle having a cover which is opened by a treadle mechanism connected to the cover by a spring. It is the spring cover operator which is the novel feature of the self-closing cover. It is an object of this invention to provide a self-closing cover which absorbs the shock created by the operation'of the treadle. It is a further object of this invention to provide a self-closing cover which does not depend upon gravity to move the cover from an open to a closed position. It is still a further object of this invention to provide a self-closing cover which is not easily damaged by accident, misuse, or vandalism.

Description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the complete receptacle showing the cover partially open.

FIG. 2 is a side view depicting the operation of the cover.

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the spring cover operator.

Description of the preferred embodiment The preferred embodiment of the invention is a privy which comprises a privy vault 1 with a cover 2 operated by treadle 3. Treadle 3 is connected to treadle bar 4 which is pivotally connected to the privy vault 1 by pin 5. The treadle bar 4 is in a horizontally disposed relationship with the privy vault 1, the pivotal connection allowing the treadle 3 to move vertically. In the preferred embodiment the treadle bar 4 is contoured to the privy vault 1 and as shown is curved. This shape is not essential to the invention and any configuration may be adapted within the scope of the invention. Treadle bar 4 is connected to the lower end of a vertically disposed treadle bar rod 6 which extends through a rearward extension 7 of privy vault 1. The upper end of treadle bar rod 6 is connected at one end of coil spring 8. The opposite end of spring 8 is 7 of privy vault 1.

Spring 8 must be sufficiently stiff to act as a universal connection between treadle bar rod 6 and cover 2. The spring 8 is wound with sutiicient space between the coils so that the treadle can be depressed while the cover is held in a closed position. This action compresses the spring in an axial direction. When the treadle is depressed with the cover in an open position, the spring is distorted axially. It is this axial distortion that provides the energy to return the cover to a closed position when the treadle is released.

In operation, with the cover 2 is a horizontal position covering the opening 11 of privy vault 1, an individual wishing to make use of the privy exerts a downward force on treadle 3. This force will move treadle bar rod 6 upward axially compressing spring 8 and thereby raising cover 2. Cover 2 will remain open as long as force is applied to treadle 3. When the force is removed from treadle 3, the energy within distorted spring 8 must be sufficient to force the cover 2 to a position pas-t top dead center thereby causing cover 2 to fall to a horizontal position covering opening 11 unless cover 2 is restrained as for example, by the back of a properly positioned privy user.

With the spring cover operator constructed as shown in FIG. 3 and described above, the cover 2 may be closed manually while the treadle 3 is depressed or the treadle may be operated while the cover is held in a fixed position, thereby preventing damage or breakage of the assembly either by accident, misuse or vandalism.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described with respect to a privy, it is obvious that the same invention may be applied to other types of receptacles.

I claim:

1. A combination comprising:

(a) a receptacle;

(b) a cover pivotally connected to said receptacle for vertical angular movement;

(c) treadle means pivotally connected to said receptacle for raising said cover; and

(d) a spring connecting said cover and said treadle means. I

2. A combination as recited in claim 1 wherein said treadle :means comprises:

(a) a horizontally disposed plate;

(b) a horizontally disposed bar attached to said plate and pivotally connected to said receptacle for vertical angular movement; and

(c) a vertically disposed rod connected at one end to said horizontal bar and at the other end connected to said spring.

3. In combination with a receptacle having a treadle operated cover, the improvement which comprises a spring connecting said cover and said treadle.

4. In a receptacle having a treadle operated cover pivot ally connected to the receptacle for vertical angular movement, closure means comprising:

(a) a treadle operated vertically disposed rod; and

(b) a spring connected to said vertical rod and connected to said cover.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,199,531 10/ 1916 Davis 248-147 JAMES B. MARBERT, Primary Examiner. 

